‘Dune: Part Three’ Tickets Cause Massive BFI IMAX Queue Frenzy

Avatar photoValentina Kraljik
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Few film franchises have transformed the cinema experience into a pilgrimage quite like Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’ saga. The director has always envisioned the story as a trilogy, making the upcoming finale a planned conclusion rather than an extended franchise. This sense of finality has been building for months.

The third installment adapts Frank Herbert’s 1969 sequel novel, ‘Dune Messiah’, set nearly two decades after the previous film. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya lead a star-studded cast that includes Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, and Robert Pattinson. Filming took place from July to November 2025 in locations such as Budapest and Abu Dhabi.

On October 20, the anticipation for this finale collided with a ticketing system. When general pre-sales for ‘Dune: Part Three’ launched worldwide, thousands of fans flooded into virtual queues for the BFI IMAX in London, with one fan reporting a queue number of around 76,700 and over 75,000 people ahead of them. Estimates suggested it would require 96 screenings to meet this demand, while the venue can only accommodate 5 screenings per day due to the film’s runtime.

The limited availability is intentional. The film’s IMAX 70mm release in the UK is restricted to just three cinemas: the BFI IMAX, The Ronson Theatre at the Science Museum in London, and Vue Manchester Printworks. Early Insider screenings are set to begin on December 14 in IMAX 70mm only, followed by digital IMAX the next day.

Warner Bros. has also taken a page from Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’, staging ticket sales in multiple rounds. After two earlier rounds for previews and select IMAX and premium large format screenings, general pre-sales opened on October 20 for all formats and time slots. IMAX later reported record pre-sales of $50 million for ‘The Odyssey’, a strategy studios have clearly noted.

This isn’t the first time ‘Dune: Part Three’ has overwhelmed a ticketing platform. The initial batch of IMAX 70mm tickets went on sale in April across 19 global locations, and GamesRadar reported they sold out in under 3 hours. When BFI IMAX opened an earlier preview screening in September, over 100,000 people reportedly joined the virtual queue.

The resale market has been equally chaotic. Listings for IMAX 70mm seats have appeared online for as much as $999.99, and one report detailed a man accused of purchasing 80 tickets as pre-sales caused turmoil. However, there was no evidence linking any of these buyers to scalping.

The rush for tickets is understandable given the film’s production. Villeneuve has stated that much of the movie was shot using 70mm film and IMAX cameras, a first for him, while he opted to keep the desert scenes in digital to maintain the brutal aesthetic he prefers. This decision makes the IMAX 70mm presentation the definitive version of the film.

Only IMAX theaters equipped with a 1.43:1 screen and either a 70mm film projector or a dual-laser projector can showcase it in this format. Nevertheless, the movie has reportedly secured a three-week IMAX exclusivity window globally, which should lead to more showtimes as the release date approaches.

Runtime listings are still fluctuating. Most theaters are indicating about 2 hours and 20 minutes, while one AMC listing now shows 2 hours and 30 minutes, although no official studio statement has confirmed any changes.

The film is set to premiere in UK cinemas on December 18, coinciding with the release of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, a clash that fans have dubbed ‘Dunesday’. Given the lines for tickets, Villeneuve’s trilogy closer is poised to be a major cinematic event.

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